France Dominates Norway with Mbappé and Dembélé
France did not just qualify. They imposed themselves.
A 4-1 win over Norway carried them into the Round of 32 as Group I winners, with Kylian Mbappé pulling the strings, Aurélien Tchouameni dictating from midfield, and Ibrahima Konaté finally stepping into the World Cup spotlight.
Mbappé and Dembélé tear Norway apart
The tone was set almost immediately.
On 7 minutes, Mbappé slid a perfectly weighted through ball between Norwegian lines, the kind of pass that dares a defender to stick out a leg and still arrives exactly where it should. Ousmane Dembélé burst onto it and lashed a powerful finish past the goalkeeper. One chance, one strike, and France were in front.
The same combination carved Norway open again in the 20th minute. Mbappé, drifting into space and reading the gaps before anyone else, picked out Dembélé once more. This time the finish was more measured, a precise effort that doubled the lead and underlined the gulf in quality in the final third.
Norway tried to drag themselves back into the contest immediately. Just a minute later, Aasgaard struck to make it 2-1, punishing a brief lapse and giving the French back line something to think about. For a flicker of a moment, the game felt alive again.
That didn’t last long.
On 32 minutes, Tchouameni stepped forward to put a stamp on the night. Spotting Dembélé’s movement, the midfielder threaded a well-timed pass into his path. The winger did the rest, completing his hat-trick of goals for a 3-1 scoreline that restored France’s control and silenced any hint of a Norwegian comeback.
Three goals, three different angles of the same story: France’s stars operating at their natural speed, a level above.
Tchouameni’s control, Konaté’s first taste
Beyond the assists, Tchouameni’s influence grew as the match settled. With the scoreboard in France’s favour, he managed the tempo, closing spaces and recycling possession to keep Norway chasing shadows.
On the bench, Konaté waited for his moment. It finally arrived in the 75th minute, when he stepped onto the pitch for his first appearance of this World Cup. The game was largely under control by then, but for a defender of his stature, those minutes still mattered: a first feel of the tournament, a first step into what France hope will be a long campaign.
Doué finishes the job, France top the group
Norway pushed late, more out of pride than belief, but France always looked capable of striking again. Deep into added time, they did.
Doué arrived to add the final touch, making it 4-1 and sealing a scoreline that reflected the balance of power. No drama, no late twist. Just a superior side closing the door.
The victory leaves France top of Group I with nine points from nine, a perfect return and a clear statement of intent. Next comes a Round of 32 tie against one of the best third-placed teams.
With Mbappé creating, Dembélé finishing, Tchouameni orchestrating and Konaté now in the mix, who will really want to face them next?
